By Janet Essman Franz
UVM Larner College of Medicine medical students and colleagues regularly visit the memory care unit at UVM Medical Center to play music and sing songs with patients. Launched as a personal project by Jonathan Palmer ’27 through the Larner College of Medicine Center on Aging, this “Musical Brain Initiative” is led by medical students as way to help patients with cognitive decline feel less lonely and more connected to a community. For students in health care professions, it’s a great way to bond with each other and with patients, boost everyone’s mental well-being, and practice valuable skills for caring for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
